We're a week away from Third strike, looks like it could be a landmark xbla/psn release. Anyone on here picking it up? Just added my points ready for it, can't wait. I'd normally use Ibuki but I think I'm gonna learn a new character, probably one of the twins.

We're a week away from Third strike, looks like it could be a landmark xbla/psn release. Anyone on here picking it up? Just added my points ready for it, can't wait. I'd normally use Ibuki but I think I'm gonna learn a new character, probably one of the twins.

Can't wait. Day 1 for me. I've had my points on it for ages. Love the fact that you can upload your videos to you tube. Wish you could do that for SF4.

Alas I've got SF3 but hardly played it. Probably go for using Ryu, Ken, Dudley as that's what I know. Probably try the twin with the hat as he's in SSF4A ... not sure who else I liked now ... pretty much all the characters that made it into 4 actually.

Looking at the AE V.2012 developer's blog Ken, Ryu and Zangief have had FURTHER buffs, which is just ridiculous. While Only 8 or so characters' adjustments have been divulged so far if my beloved Rose, Cody and Dan receive pointless crap like +5dmg on EX moves or something I'm binning this game off and sticking with 3SO and UMarvel.

Other than Vega it seems Capcom are only improving the most-used and most-obvious characters and leaving the lesser used (and most interesting) characters behind.

...if my beloved Rose, Cody and Dan receive pointless crap like +5dmg on EX moves or something I'm binning this game off and sticking with 3SO and UMarvel...

All 3 got seriously good buffs! Twins and Fei Long got seriously nerfed!! even playing field at last.

BUT, so many of these changes, across all characters, are simply going back to how they were in standard SUPER. Hmm.

I'm guessing they messed up with Arcade? ...

Played a few matches before Third Strike came out. Bit rusty but picked up a few wins. I still need some time to properly practice and maybe start using a joystick instead of a pad.

Third Strike ... alright I played for about 20mins but man my timings are still all off on that. I like the training mode options but parrying still needs a better tutorial. Parry a hadoken ... fine, parry a punch ... fine ... parry an instant dragon punch ... errr struggling. It shouldn't end if you fail it should just keep going till you get it right and give the option to start again. It's still not teaching you the timing so much as just giving you an area to practice.

Abel  Cr.HP is back to how it was in Super.  TT Damage up +10: LP 160 MP 180 HP 200  Breathless : from startup till active, hit invulnerable. (LOL. People will start trolling with U2, again.)  Second Low Hit Stun improved, So when you do 2nd Low FADC, youll be at +9 at most. Meaning that, you can do 2nd Low FADC Cr.HP U1. Adon  Close St. MP is now -4 on block  Close St. MK is +2 on hit, +3 on block  Focus attack hitbox is tweaked to be able to hit crouching opponents too.  Rising Jaguar (LK, MK, HK)  at the start, horizontal hitbox is increased a little, so that after a Rising Jaguar FADC, its harder to accidentally crossover the opponent. Also, one extra frame is given to FADC a HK Rising Jaguar (easier to fadc), thus making it easier to connect an Avalanche Jaguar.  As for U1, even if you activated it at close range, it wont go over a standing opponent (will go over if crouching). Akuma  Demon-flip punch no longer an overhead (TL note: this was one of the few buffs in AE I think), so you can now block low for that.  Forward throw now has 2 more recovery frames.  As for buffs, when you cancel a teleport into U2, the damage has been increased to 421. Balrog  Headbutt damage fixed back to Super, strong 120, Fierce 140, EX 150.  U2 damage 399.  Hit properties on Dash Overhead changed so that it can combo into c.strong on all characters.  Close stand fierce hitbox extended downwards so that it hits crouching characters that it used to whiff on. Blanka  Each ball gets an extra 10 in damage, so Jab 110, Strong 120, Fierce 130, EX 120.  For Fierce and EX Ball, if it hits on the second frame (same frame where FA cancel is possible), it causes blow-back damage. Will be easier to follow-up EX Ball with additional hits if FADCd.  Charged Rock Crusher gives Blanka a 5 frame advantage, so he can do Rock Crusher, C.MK, FP Ball as a combo. Cammy  They want to keep the status quo for Cammy. So the only change here was:  Heavy Spiral Arrows hit properties are back to how they were in SSF4 console (TL note: in AE when you combo into heavy Spiral Arrow, sometimes Cammy will go under your opponent and switch which is especially bad when youve successfully pushed him into the corner). Chun  Head stomps will come out on DF, not just D. They note that DB wont work though.  Kintekishu (B+MK) +3 advantage on counter hit, easier to hit confirm into the second hit.  Sweep 150 stun.  Kikoken startup 9F, easier to use as AA/use in combos.  They are fixing the bug where characters fell out of the U1 juggle in AE. Cody  Faster forward, backward walk speed  Hammer Hook (overhead) advantage revised; +3 on hit on standing, -1 on hit on crouching, -4 on guard for both; can be used when holding the knife  If you hit a standing opponent, cr.LK → MK Ruffian Kick combos  Bad Spray is now two hits, Super-cancellable; with an FADC thrown in, Bad Spray FADC Final Destruction (UC1) will connect  MK Ruffian Kick has forwarded extended hitbox  EX Zonk Knuckle: first hit does further horizontal knockback; EX Zonk FADC UC1 is now easier to connect  Can now guard during Knife pick up  (All while holding knife) - st.LP +6 on hit - st.MP is now 2 hits - st.HP is +3 on hit - cr.MP now has 4 active frames, smaller arm hurtbox, making it harder to stuff - cr.HP is now 7F start-up, easier to use as anti-air  Neutral/Forward jump LP active for 10F Dan  Dan got a ton of changes.  Pushback from his close standing Standing Hard Kick has been shortened.  Close Medium Punch now starts up in 5 frames. This was 6 in Arcade Edition.  Crouching Hard Kick now starts up in 10 frames. This was 11 in Arcade Edition.  The combo cl.HK, cl.MP, cr.MP xx EX Dankukyaku is now possible.  Reduced the height limit on Air EX Dankukyaku (Dan Kicks), a.k.a., how high you needed to be before you could do it.  Hard Kick Dankukyaku now deals 130 damage instead of 120.  Dans Jumping and Crouching Taunt build meter now. 70 on hit, 30 on block.  Dans Super Hissho Buraiken has been altered so that its harder for characters to have hits whiff against them. However, the blog notes this buff wont work if you activate from too far away. Dee Jay  Far st.MP hitbox increased in front of him, so you can use it for cancels like Ryu does. The damage is 90, so it also does pretty well in a trade (could use tl check on last part, moving quickly)  Reverted Air Slasher getting counterhit during recovery  Sobat damage +10 on LK/MK/HK (now 90/110/130)  Super can be canceled into U1 by inputting the command up to the second-to-last hit, between them it adds up to 570 damage Dhalsim  Yoga Inferno damage 75 x 2, 60 x 3 for a total of 330 damage.  EX Yoga Blast damage 90 + 50. First hit gets 20 more damage, second hit 20 less, so if Sim only gets the first hit he gets the better damage.  S.jab active for 4F. But other frame info unaltered.  Hurtbox on Yoga Blast reduced.  Can follow up Yoga Blast with additional moves for combo. Dudley  Standing Roundhouse counterhit is now +7  Air Jab can now cross up  Air Fierce is active for 7 frames (1 longer than in AE)  Focus Attack level 1 is -3 on hit or block  Medium and Heavy Short Swing Blow are less vulnerable to low attacks  Thunderbolt will now always complete if it hits and causes untechable knockdown, and the EX version will not flash on the way up  The Rose is focus and super cancelable  Ultra 1 Rolling Thunder will connect fully on aerial opponents E. Honda  Jab headbutt gets its upper body invincibility back.  Strong headbutt loses it, so it works the same as Jab Headbutt did in AE. El Fuerte  They aimed to make him more fun to play without heavily affecting his overall balance. Tortilla has reverted to its Vanilla form, i.e., invincible straight after start-up)  EX Quesadilla Bomb now only takes 210 frames of charge and wall-bounces, and both level 3 regular and EX Quesadilla Bombs only freeze Fuerte for 10 frames on hit.  Elsewhere, cr.LP can be chain cancelled into other jab or short moves, while st.FP, Habanero Dash, Sliding now works on everyone. Evil Ryu  Health 900, Stun 900 (up from 850/850)  Far standing roundhouse has a bigger hitbox  Crouching roundhouse has 6 frame startup  Far standing fierce on counterhit knocks the opponent down and deals more damage, can FADC into a combo  Hop kick can cancel into air tatsu and EX air tatsu, or Shun Goku Satsu  Medium dragon punch + 1f invicible  Light Axe Kick is +1 on block  Heavy Axe Kick damage is now 130 and stun is 150, but has faster startup (26 frames) and can be used in combos where the Medium version was before  EX Axe kick is 21 frame startup now. If Axe kicks hit airborn opponents you get untechable knockdown  Air Medium Tatsu when done while rising will stop you from moving  Super is now 370 damage instead of 350  U1 charge time is shortened, letting you do Lv2 focus attack into max charged Metsu Hadouken Fei Long  Rekka block stun adjusted, after second blocked rekka, most people delay the third one for counter hits. You can now punish delayed third rekka hits accordingly. After blocked 2nd hit of Rekka, Light version 8f, Medium version 10f, Heavy version 12f  (loose translation of this) Flame kick: Light 120 down to 110, Medium 140 down to 120, Heavy 160 down to 150, EX 200 down to 190. Flame kick FADC on block is 1f less on advantage, making it.. ????  F+MK buffed up from 60 to 70  MK Chickenwing nerfed from 30+30+50 (110 total) down to 35+35+30 (100 total) Gen (KKK stance) crouching HPs damage on counter-hit has been corrected to 1.25x the regular amount. (TL note: previously it wasnt? What was it in AE?) (KKK stance) crouching HK now has 5 active frames (up from 3). If the last hit of medium/heavy Gekirou (dragon kick) came out, Gen gets a bonus +10 to super meter. The final hit of heavy Gekirou will put your opponent in untechable knockdown state. So use it as an opportunity to okizeme/apply pressure on wake-up. EX Snake Strikes properties will now differ depending on which buttons you activate it with (light+medium, light+heavy, or medium+heavy). The distance Gen travels during this move, and the number of hits vary. Also, from 1st frame all the way till the end of active frames, EX Snake Strikes are now projectile-invincible. All versions of Snake Strikes will have 4 extra hit/blockstun as long as you dont end with the final strike. So if you FADC Snake Strike before the final hit its +6 on hit, +2 on block. (PPP/Mantis style) U2′s start-up is now 7-frame on start-up, down from 9 frames. Gouken  One of the most altered characters, the devs say. The main changes are to his Denjin and Senku Goshoha.  His Denjin can be sped up to up to twice its normal speed and powered up by over half damage by doing a 3S SA3 Ryu (spinning the stick like a loon from Ultra start-up until you let go of the attack buttons). There are three speed-ups and five damage levels, with the charge times as follows: Level 1  13 frames Level 2  17 frames Level 3  37 frames Level 4  57 frames Level 5  80 frames  Each fully-charged Denjin now does 45 more damage, while charge times are now the same regardless of the amount of your ultra gauge.  As for the Senku Goshoha, LP hits further in front, MP is the same as his Super LP version and HP is the same as his Super MP version. Also, Kongoshin has a slighty larger hitbox and deals 200 stun, while cr.HP deals more hitstun and so locks the opponent in place for longer, allowing cl.MP, cr.HP, EX Senku Goshoha to hit everyone. Guile  Balance adjustments centered around the changes made to him from Super to AE.  The frames in which Guile could be counter-hit after Sonic Boom have been eliminated? (Not 100% sure)  Air throws 3F startup.  Spinning backfist 100 damage.  Cant be thrown out of upside down kick from the 6th frame until the last active frame. Guy  Neutral Jump HP hitbox increased  Jump MP and Jump HK hitbox AND hurtbox increased  Hitbox tweaks are mainly to make it easier to hit downwards  Normal throw range increased (similar to Ryu)  Elbow can be performed not just by holding down, but df or db too  Command Jump/Izuna drop (all versions)  less recovery on landing if no buttons are pressed, so you can get in and aim for throws etc  EX senpukyaku is fixed so that itll hit easier (where it might whiff before), easier to use against opponent jumping in, easier to not whiff against small framed opponents  The run overhead kick (kubigari)  tweaked so that it wont go over crouching opponents if performed at close range/point blank  Finally walkback speed is increased  Increased movement distance on Bushin Goraisenpujin  Increased throw range on Bushin Muso Renge Hakan  Hakan gets oiled from the start of the match  Neutral jumping short hitbox is bigger  Neutral jumping jab is active 8 frames  Neutral jumping strong is active 4 frames  Jumping jab is active 8 frames  Crouching Fierce now hits twice  F+Strong has a smaller vulnerability area  Coward Crouch can be cancelled into from a dash, making Hakan slide  Oil Sliding into body press now deals 150 stun total, and is dealt after the body press, preventing people from getting up to mash out early if the slide stunned them  Medium and Heavy oil dive, when wiffing a crouching opponent, will go past your opponent to make punishing him harder. The light version is faster to startup, and the Medium and Heavy versions can reach opponents much farther away  Hakans super activates faster and, like oil dive, medium and heavy versions can pass over crouching opponents Ibuki  Bonshougeri (F+HK) has different movement trajectory, will hit crouching opponents more easily; +1 on hit, +5 on counterhit, -3 on block  Koube Kudaki (F+MK), including TC version, from 26F to 25F start-up  Tsuijigoe (command jump) is throw-invincible until Ibuki is airborne, from activation until 12F has a smaller hurtbox, making low attacks are easier to dodge; can Super-cancel from an earlier timing than before  At point-blank, can use the move to dodge a throw and hit the opponent with Kasumi Suzaku (Super Combo)  The projectile portion of Yoroitoshi (UC1) will now give you full hit animation against airborne opponents  Based on the opponent and spacing, you can catch a backdash with UC1 and get the full animation, even if the throw portion (which comes first) whiffs  Hashinsho (UC2) will now hit up until the lock animation against mid-air opponents  For example, if you hit a mid-air opponent with Focus Attack Lv2, you will now land all of the pre-cinematic hits (but not the full ultra, Im assuming). Juri  Faster forward dash during FSE  Expanded hit box for 2nd hit of st.mk  Hitbox for FA repositioned to hit crouching/low position characters better.  +50 damage to Fuhajin rising kick  +5F advatage on hit for 1st hit of lk Senpusha  +5F advatage on hit for 1st & 2nd hit of mk/hk Senpusha  +5F advatage on hit for 2nd hit of EX Senpusha As such, Senpusha -> FADC -> U2 combo is now possible  EX Senpusha is invincible until 1st hit during FSE  Changes in EX Shikusen trajectory: lk+mk: same as before mk+hk: same as mk shikusen lk+hk: same as hk shikusen 3K: same as before  Super Meter increases at 1/3 of normal rate during FSE Ken  Target combo hits easier on crouching opponents, can also delay the inputs.  EX Shoryuken damage 80+30+30+50, 190 total. M. Bison  Scissors stun changed to 100/50 (150 total) on all strengths  First hit causes 1f extra hitstun, so if you FADC the first hit you can have +5 advantage at best. Makoto  From 1000 to 950 health (back to Super value)  Fukiage damage for LP, MP, HP from 100 to 90, EX from 140 to 120  EX Karakusa has less ranage  st.HK has a lower extended hitbox  Target Combo 1′s st.MK can be cancelled, like the normal version  Tanden Renki (Super Combo) is 3 seconds londer  neutral j.MP has a forward extended hitbox, hurtbox  Hayate have improved properties on charge  LP Lv3, Lv4 and MP Lv4 have further forward movement, all Lv4 strengths are -2 on guard  All Lv5 strengths are armor break, further forward movement, from 170 to 190 damage  Can tell when you reach Lv5 charge timing by Makotos voice Oni  Stamina from 950 to 1000.  First hit of EX Goshoryuken causes untechable knockdown.  Previously for EX Hurricane there were situations where not every hit would connect. That has been fixed.  LK Demon Slash now has an additional hitbox on the lower side, so its easier to hit thinner/crouching opponents.  Raging Demons damage icreased from 350 to 370 regardless if its ground or air.  With UC1, when you aim it upwards, its 9 frames on start-up. Full invincibility from start-up to the second active frame. Rose Soul Spark meter gain returned to 20->30 Soul Satellites startup frames from 7 to 5 Soul Piede changed to Vanilla properties Close standing MK +4 on hit, making it easier to combo into crouching jab, as well as making it possible to combo into cr.mp. Fixed some bug with crouching mk counterhits. Rufus  MK Messiah Kick on hit can be followed up by LK continuation.  Since you couldnt use it as an AA in original AE, Big Bang Typhoon as an AA will hit a maximum of 10 times, for 236 damage. Ryu  Increased the vertical hitbox on U2 for better anti-air/full animation.  Can combo full U2 after counter hit Shakunetsu Hadoken. So if c.mk gets absorbed by a FA, Ryu can do EX Fireball, FADC U2 for 500 damage. If Ryu is close range he can hit EX Fireball -> U2 without FADC.  The brake frame on air Tatsu decreased by 3 frames, if used on this frame the trajectory will change.  Solar plexus 40+60 for 100 total damage.  If he hits S.RH counter hit on a crouching opponent he can combo sweep after it. Sagat  Angry Scar Tiger Uppercut damage increased: LP, MP, and EX get +10 Sakura  Only thing the developers have changed here was EX Hurricane Kick.  Many Sakura players were unhappy that when you do Crouching LK -> crouching LP -> crouching HP -> EX Hurricane, on certain characters the last hit would not connect. Theyve rectified this so it now works on all characters. Seth Only small changes here, apparently. Tanden Stream only does 340 damage now, but cr.HP, Tanden Stream does full damage. Furthermore, if the first hit connects, Seth becomes invincible for the entire animation. Otherwise, his jumping FP now has 4 active frames and nj.MK has lower body fireball invincibility after the active frames finish. Also, the issue of cr.LP, cr.MP not hitting some characters after a successful j.HK has been partially remedied (they say loosened or eased, rather than fixed, so its probably still there to some extent). T.Hawk  Minor changes that have to do with his match-ups.  The first hit of crouching HK on block has more blockstun, by 2 frames. Opponents who try to jump away after blocking the first hit will now be caught with the second hit due to this adjustment. Also, T.Hawks head-area hurtbox is projectile-invincible during this animation. So for instance, Sagats high Tiger Shots will no longer hit Hawk out of his crouching HK.  (Diagonal jump) down+HP can now be performed with neutral jumps.  Down-forward+LP on hit is now -2 frame disadvantage. Down from -5 in AE.  Medium Tomahawk Buster is throw-invincible from start-up to the frame T.Hawk leaves the ground.  Condor Spires shortcut motion has been revised, so it should be easier to activate with that now. Yang  Stun changed to 950  Target Combo 2 130 damage, -7 on second attack  st.LK start-up to 5F, but has the original start up during Seiei Enbu  cr.LK from 30 damage to 20, upward extended hurtbox  cr.MP from 80 to 70 damage, 60 during Seiei Enbu  (Far) st.MP hitbox pushed backwards, thus has shorter range  diagonal j.MK hitbox changed, landing cross-ups is not as easier as before  Raigekishu (dive kick): all versions have an addition hurtbox rectangle when activated, 2F extra landing recovery; stun from 100 to 50  Senkyutai (roll kick): up until 5F, HK no longer has projectile-invincibility, MK has no projectile-invincibility at all  All versions of Senkyutai (including EX) have about half size horizontal hitbox, all are 4F worse on guard  EX Zenpou Tenshin has less reach, loses throw invincibility from the 8F onward  Tourou Zan (mantis slashes): final hit of LP, MP, HP damage to 60; EX version now a true blockstring for all hits  Byakko Soshoda (palm): MP, HP meter gain on whiff from 20 to 10, two extra frames to LP, MP, HP  HP damage from 150 to 140, chip to 30, stun from 250 to 200; MP, HP have 4 less active frames  Seiei Enbu is a second shorter, does less damage from chip  Raishin Mahaken (UC1) from 480 to 450 at full UC meter  Tenshin Senkyutai (UC2) is 3F slower, from 440 to 410 at full UC meter; the last hit of the non-cinematic version does 90 damage Yun  Target Combo 2 120 damage  Target Combo 3 120 damage  Target Combo 4 130 damage, -6 on block for second hit  Target Combo 5 70 damage  cr.LK has an upward extended hurtbox  cr.MP damage from 60 to 50  Higher high restriction for Raigekishu (dive kick), for LK, MK, and HK (all versions)  +2 extra frames of hit, block stun on Raigekishu  Senpukyaku (im assuming overhead) from 85 damage to 80 during Genei Jin  LK, MK, HK Zenpou Tenshin slowed to 11F, EX to 8F  No throw invincibility on EX Zenpou  EX Zesshou (lunge) hit distribution changed from 7/2 to 6/3, -1 on block  MP, HP Kobokushi (palm) meter gain to +20  LP Koboku is 25 frames total, MP, HP 45 frames total  MP, HP Koboku damage from 160 to 140, stun from 250 to 200; chip damage for MP, HP to 30  Active frames for MP, HP Koboku to 10  Nishoukyaku (up kicks): LK only has invincibility up (and including) the first active frame  More landing recovery on all versions (including EX)  MK Nishou from 130 damage to 110  Tetsuzanko (shoulder): HP damage from 140 to 100, EX from 80+70 to 90+40 (130 total); during the projectile invincible parts of the move, Yuns hurtbox against physical strikes is expanded  Genei Jin is a second shorter, does less damage Vega  cr.HK damage increased to 110, same as Super.  +1 more frame of hitstun on the opponent after cosmic heel, making it -3 at worst.  Sky High Claw causes blowback when it hits a grounded opponent (same words as the blanka ball change)  U1 hitbox after it hits on the way up increased drastically so that it doesnt unexpectedly miss.  U2 startup changed to 8f. Viper  MP Thunder Knuckle 120 -> 110 damage  EX Thunder Knuckle startup reduced to 25f, but +2 recovery  EX Seismo 120 -> 100 damage  U1 -> 441 damage  U1 hitbox improved so its easier to hit fully after air burnkick and HP Thunder Knuckle  U2 damage increased to 410 Zangief  Jab SPD 150 stun.  EX Backfist damage 90+50 for a total of 140. Stun 100+50 for a total of 150.  Adjusted the hitbox on c.jab, so that it hits more easily off a jump-in against characters it formerly didnt. Hurtbox for c.roundhouse reduced in height, making it easier to pass under certain attacks.

Anyone else playing much 3SO? Struggling quite a bit at the minute, although that may be down to maining Q at present. Hit-confirm to special/super timing is so much stricter I feel than in IV and other than against projectiles and easily-read attacks parrying isn't working out to well for me. Haven't dared try any online matches against people I don't know yet.

Anyone else playing much 3SO? Struggling quite a bit at the minute, although that may be down to maining Q at present. Hit-confirm to special/super timing is so much stricter I feel than in IV and other than against projectiles and easily-read attacks parrying isn't working out to well for me. Haven't dared try any online matches against people I don't know yet.

I'm up for some online practice. Still proper busy at the moment but in November i'll be off for a bit.

EDIT: Nothing like a good pasting at SF ... lost about 13 times out of 15 games. I threw away some choice matches. At least two of them I had the opposition dead ... like one or two hits would have done it compared me having 3/4 health. I just blew it. Another five were good close matches. But it's win or lose in SF. The rest I got clean battered ... one T.Hawk player ruined my life. The two matches I won I actually started off getting beaten and managed to come back.

No rhyme or reason. I think I need to develop some basic strategies for a few key things. Like against Ryu players doing that annoying low light punch twice then grab ... ugh get's me too often. My wake up was also terrible which got me caught in some horrible combos. On the other hand watch some of my other games against some tough players and I put up such a great fight. It's just the fundamentals in a few areas I lack and then some horrible combos. I can read the game well, even against top players my defense used to be solid but yeah I need a harsher counter attack to put people in their place.

Third Strike another story altogether ... total noob the same as MvsC3. I love these games but damn I'm just out of the loop now. If you don't keep playing you just drop of the radar altogether.

The most baffling one is that Ryu can no longer FADC his HP SRK. So no more HP SRK-FADC-Ultra I and no more FADC out of HP SRK if it was blocked. Plus HP SRK only does 1 hit now (like vanilla SFIV...), why not nerf those with multiple-hitting SRKs like Ken or Akuma? All seems a bit daft to me.